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Political Landscape: Primary results certified, now it's on to November

By Jill Cowan

June 18, 2014 | 6:20 p.m.

The Orange County Registrar of Voters officially certified the primary election results Tuesday.

About 24% of the county's electorate voted in the June 3 election — a 6% decline from the 30.1% turnout during the 2010 primary.

This year, according to the official results, 17.1% of voters cast ballots by mail, while less than half that number, 7%, voted at polling places. In 2010, meanwhile, 18.4% voted by mail, while 11.7% showed up at polling places.

Final percentages for various county candidates varied only minorly from preliminary results.

To see the full list of results, go to http://www.ocvote.com/results/detailed-data-and-reports.http://www.ocvote.com/results/detailed-data-and-reports

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IT'S NOT OVER YET

As ballot counting wrapped up over the past week, candidates headed for run-offs began shoring up their endorsement lists for the battles ahead.

Keith Curry

Newport Beach Councilman Keith Curry — who is headed to a November runoff for the 74th Assembly District seat with 27.6% of the primary vote — earned endorsements from a slate of Republicans who had previously thrown their support behind Emanuel Patrascu.

Patrascu, an aide to Assemblyman Travis Allen (R-Huntington Beach), came in last in the primary, winning 12.9% of the vote.

According to a news release from Curry's campaign, the former Newport mayor now has the endorsement of Jim Silva, who has been a state assemblyman, Orange County supervisor and Huntington Beach mayor.

In a statement, Silva called Curry a "fiscal expert who will work to cut spending, reduce taxes and protect Proposition 13."

"I have known and worked with him for years," Silva said. "We need him in Sacramento."

Other endorsements came from Huntington Beach Councilman Joe Carchio, Laguna Beach Councilman Steve Dicterow and former state Assemblyman Van Tran.

During the primary, Carchio came in last place in a bid for 2nd District Orange County supervisor, while Tran placed third in a run for the state Board of Equalization's 4th District.

In November, Curry will face off against conservative Huntington Beach Mayor Matthew Harper to represent the district, which includes Costa Mesa, Newport Beach, Laguna Woods, Laguna Beach and portions of Huntington Beach and Irvine. Harper garnered 24.9% of the primary vote.

Michelle Steel

Current state Board of Equalization member Michelle Steel, who narrowly missed winning a seat on the Orange County Board of Supervisors outright this month, announced this week that current Supervisor Todd Spitzer had joined her list of supporters moving forward.

Though Steel won more than twice as many votes as the second-place finisher, Assemblyman Allan Mansoor (R-Costa Mesa), with 47.7% of the vote, she did not win the majority required to avoid a runoff.

Mansoor, who took 22.9% of the vote, will be Steel's opponent in the runoff.

Current 2nd District Supervisor John Moorlach, who will be termed out, has endorsed Mansoor. With the addition of Spitzer, the remainder of the current board has endorsed Steel, according to a news release from her campaign. She also received an endorsement from Carchio.

Orange County Sheriff Sandra Hutchens has joined Orange County United Way's board of directors, the organization announced this week.

"Education, income, health and housing all play vital roles in crime reduction," Hutchens said in a statement. "I firmly believe in the goals laid out in [United Way's] FACE 2024 plan and the impact their achievement will have in making Orange County an even better place to live."

The FACE 2024 plan aims to make long-term improvements in the community by setting specific, measurable goals in areas such as education and health, according to an Orange County United Way news release.

"We're thrilled that Sheriff Hutchens is willing to devote some of her valuable time to helping us forward ..." Max Gardner, Orange County United Way's president and CEO said in a statement. "If we are to achieve our newly established goals, we must mobilize our community leaders and win their buy-in."

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